1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to braces and, more particularly, to braces for supporting the thighs and separating the legs of the user for sleeping purposes when the user has a lower back injury or lower back and mid-back muscle tension and pain.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For persons with muscular strain or injury to the muscles of the lower back, sleeping and associated movement may be a relatively painful experience. The natural position of the thighs and legs, extending in line with the torso, is an inherently awkward position because there is a strain on the back muscles in that position. While sleeping on either side, the legs come together, and again there is strain and tension placed on the lower back muscles. The typical solution is to elevate the knees by placing a pillow under the thighs or knees, for sleeping on the back, or by placing a pillow between the legs for sleeping on either side. These are usually not satisfactory solutions because a pillow inevitably collapses or gets lost as a person turns or moves while sleeping.
The apparatus of the present invention immobilizes the thighs in an elevated position while a user is recumbent on his back, and accordingly relieves the lower back muscles of the muscular strain while in bed. The brace does not prevent the user from moving in a bed, such as moving from the user's back to either side. While sleeping on one's back, the knees are elevated and while sleeping on either side, one leg is elevated. In both positions, the strain on the muscles is relieved.
There have been different types of leg or brace supports in the prior art, but none of them have been devoted to supporting the thighs of a user to relieve lower back muscle strain. Accordingly, none of the thigh supports of the prior art accomplishes the task in the manner or for the same purpose as does the apparatus of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 449,436 discloses apparatus for supporting and immobilizing a leg for examination or for surgical purposes. Such support includes a rest for the thigh secured to a base. However, the base is impractical for purposes of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,910,707 discloses a pair of support elements, securable together to provide a bag for carrying such things as beach towels, etc. When separated, the elements provide a support for the head and shoulders and for the thighs and knees. Each support comprises a curved section, adapted to be placed on a relatively level surface. No provisions are included for securing the thighs to a support.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,977 discloses apparatus for holding the body in a particular position for inserting a bladder catheter. The apparatus includes individually adjustable knee supports secured to a relatively flat base on which a patient is placed. A strap secures the base to the lower abdomen of the patient, immobilizing the patient's hips, and movable supports are disposed beneath the knees of the patient and are appropriately secured to the patient. The knee supports are movable or adjustable to allow the apparatus to be used with patients of different sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,978,713 discloses another type of apparatus for supporting legs. The apparatus includes a base with a pair of knee supports secured to the base. The base is adjustable with respect to its width to vary the distance between the knee supports and accordingly the knees. The knee supports are adjustable vertically to raise or lower the knees. The knee supports are also pivotable to vary the angular orientation between a user's thighs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,446 discloses apparatus for positioning feet. It includes a pair of base elements secured to a fixed support element which includes a pair of "V" shaped support portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,145,397 discloses leg support apparatus which includes a trough which receives a leg and which is pivotally disposed on an arcuate support element. The purpose of the apparatus of the '397 patent is to allow a person with an immobilized leg to move that leg to different, perhaps more comfortable, positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,336 discloses body positioning apparatus which has a pair of fixed thigh and knee supports secured to a seat portion which accommodates the hips and buttocks of a person. The leg rests are disposed at a predetermined angular orientation away from each other so as to spread apart the thighs of the person using the apparatus. The purpose of the '336 apparatus is to provide a rest for a patient undergoing a pelvic or rectal examination by a physician.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,512 discloses apparatus for positioning the legs and thighs of a patient for pelvic or rectal examination, when the patient is confined to a bed. The apparatus includes a base support disposed on the bed, and a pair of leg supports extending upwardly from the base support. The leg supports may be oriented or adjusted as desired.
The apparatus of the patents described in the preceding paragraphs provide a common function of supporting the legs of the user, but each is designed for a specific purpose. None of the apparatus discussed above is usable or practical to be secured to a patient for sleeping purposes or for lying in bed to rest the lower back muscles. The apparatus of the above-discussed patents are not designed to, and accordingly will not, allow a patient to move from a recumbent position on the back to a side position. Moreover, none of the apparatus will allow a patient to move off of or out of a bed while the apparatus is still secured to the patient.
The apparatus of the present invention is designed to be secured to the thighs of a user and to immobilize a user's thighs with respect to each other to provide support for a user while in bed. This allows the muscular strain otherwise associated with lower back muscles to be relieved while the user is secured to the support apparatus. The support apparatus also allows the user to move off of a bed without having to remove the apparatus for necessary trips to the bathroom, etc.